Congressional Supercommittee members "built a case for major structural changes in Medicare (and Medicaid) that would limit the government's open-ended financial commitment...."

Privatization is recommended. Republicans and some Democrats agree. Expect more to come on board. Methodology might be to provide beneficiaries fixed sums for private plans. They'll cost more and deliver less.

Proponents call the idea "premium support." At issue is shifting government's responsibility to beneficiaries. Washington would pay premiums in increasingly smaller amounts until they bear full responsibility.

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Doing so will leave seniors entirely on their own for healthcare when they most need it. Unaffordability won't matter. Understating the problem, John Rother, National Coalition on Health Care president said:

"The Supercommittee may have laid the groundwork for future reductions in the growth of Medicare."